Derivative of the Lorentz factor

In summary, according to David Morin, the time-derivative of the Lorentz factor is ##\dot{\gamma} = \gamma^3 v \dot{v}## and the four-acceleration is ##\mathbf{A} = (\gamma^4 v \dot{v}, \gamma^4 v \dot{v} \mathbf{v} + \gamma^2 \mathbf{a})##. There may be some confusion about whether ##v^2## refers to the magnitude of velocity or the dot product of velocity with itself, but it can be shown that ##\dot{\gamma} = \gamma^3 (\mathbf{v} \cdot \dot{\math
  • #1
SiennaTheGr8
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According to David Morin (link: https://books.google.com/books?id=Ni6CD7K2X4MC&pg=PA636), the time-derivative of the Lorentz factor is (##c=1##):

##\dot{\gamma} = \gamma^3 v \dot{v}##,

and the four-acceleration:

##\mathbf{A} = (\gamma^4 v \dot{v}, \gamma^4 v \dot{v} \mathbf{v} + \gamma^2 \mathbf{a})##.

Is that a mistake? I thought that it's:

##\dot{\gamma} = \gamma^3 (\mathbf{v} \cdot \dot{\mathbf{v}})##,

and

##\mathbf{A} = (\gamma^4 (\mathbf{v} \cdot \dot{\mathbf{v}}), \, \gamma^4 (\mathbf{v} \cdot \dot{\mathbf{v}}) \mathbf{v} + \gamma^2 \mathbf{a})##.I could be wrong, but my understanding is that the ##v^2## in the radicand is really ##\mathbf{v} \cdot \mathbf{v}##, so that:

##\dfrac{d}{dt} \, (1 - v^2)^{-1/2} = \dfrac{d}{d(v^2)} \, (1 - v^2)^{-1/2} \, \dfrac{d}{dt} \, (\mathbf{v} \cdot \mathbf{v})##.
 
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  • #2
Since ##v^2 = \vec v \cdot \vec v##, it follows directly that ##v \dot v = \vec v \cdot \dot{\vec v}##. However, note that ##\dot v## is generally not equal to ##|\dot{\vec v}|##.
 
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1. What is the Lorentz factor?

The Lorentz factor is a term used in special relativity to describe the relationship between time, space, and velocity. It is represented by the Greek symbol gamma (γ) and is defined as 1/√(1−v^2/c^2), where v is the velocity of an object and c is the speed of light.

2. What is the significance of the derivative of the Lorentz factor?

The derivative of the Lorentz factor is important because it allows us to calculate the rate of change of the Lorentz factor with respect to velocity. This is helpful in understanding how time, space, and velocity are affected by each other in special relativity.

3. How is the derivative of the Lorentz factor calculated?

The derivative of the Lorentz factor can be calculated using the quotient rule from calculus. It involves taking the derivative of the numerator and denominator separately, and then dividing them to get the final result.

4. What are some real-world applications of the derivative of the Lorentz factor?

The derivative of the Lorentz factor has many applications in modern physics. It is used in particle accelerators to calculate the effect of high speeds on particle collisions. It is also used in GPS technology to account for the time dilation effects of satellites orbiting at high speeds.

5. How does the derivative of the Lorentz factor relate to Einstein's theory of special relativity?

The derivative of the Lorentz factor is a mathematical expression of one of the fundamental principles of special relativity, which is that time, space, and velocity are all relative and interconnected. It helps to explain how these quantities change as an object approaches the speed of light, in accordance with Einstein's famous equation, E=mc^2.

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